Attempted suicide after alleged rape

IMPHAL, March 13: A 14-year-old girl attempted to commit suicide after she was allegedly raped by a 24-year-old man at Konung Mamang Purana Rajbari in Imphal.This was disclosed by the victim’s mother to the media at the Manipur Press Club, Imphal on Wednesday.She identified the rape accused as one Naorem Pritam Singh, a resident of Nongmeibung Pung Makhong in Imphal East district.

However, the police claimed that the alleged rapist is a minor and therefore has been kept at a juvenile home here since the rape incident; the mother however rubbished the police claim, saying the accused is already 24.According to the victim, the accused Pritam Singh broke upon the main door of the house, and sexually assaulted her on March 3 around 1 pm, she said.The victim came to her consciousness around 4 pm that day after the rape. The mother stated that the victim tried to pursue Pritam to marry her, but he declined it. She then attempted to commit suicide by consuming a poisonous substance, probably phenyl around 9 pm the same day.The parents of the victim were not at the house when the incident took place. The mother also said she went to Guwahati while her husband was undergoing treatment at a hospital when the rape occurred. On March 9, the victim’s mother lodged a complaint with Porompat Police Station regarding the rape following that the police arrested the accused the next day. The mother further rejected the police claim that the accused is a juvenile and that he has been appearing HSLC exam.He will be produced before a court here on Thursday.Meanwhile, S Ibetombi, president, Women’s Association for Civic Action Kangleipak (WACAK), who was also talking to the media over the rape incident, warned of intense protest in the event of failure of the state Government and the concerned authorities to find out a clear-cut solution to the matter at the earliest.